TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
DERECK PAUL
1. How long have you been on the Board and what position do you currently hold?
Board member, newly appointed Dec 2021. Technical Director.
2. What municipality or organization do you represent?
CEO of Lakefront Utility Services Inc. (LUSI supplies water to Cobourg, Grafton & parts of Hamilton Township)
3. What is your educational and professional background?
Business Administration & Management, Chartered Director –DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University. My professional background over the last twenty years has been in the utilities sector, water, electricity and telecom.
4. The OMWA is a not-for-profit organization and all Board positions, including yours, are all volunteer, what inspired you to become an OMWA Board Member?
Desire to serve and a sense of responsibility along with duty. Water is an essential of life. Cobourg is also one of the founding members of the OMWA and have always proudly been a member and represented the OMWA.
5. What do you hope to see in the future for OMWA?
Leveraging the OMWA’s influence to shape policies including legislations that allows for continuous improvement of water systems across Ontario – gathering and providing data analytics on the sector to reduce losses in the systems and advocate for improvements on First Nation Communities with BWAs.
6. What would you say to a 16-year-old student considering a career path, in water?
Just do it! (Borrowing Nike’s slogan). Water is the world’s most valuable resource and human-kind cannot survive without it. What an incredible industry to be involved with!
7. What advice would you give to a new graduate considering a position in the water industry?
Working in the water sector is a privilege few has. It offers the opportunity for continuous learning and has an important ESG (Environmental Social Governance) role. Climate Change will directly impact the water sector and what a space to be a part of, if you are up for the challenge! A very rewarding industry and purpose drive work.
8. What’s your hometown?
Ajax, Ontario
9. What brought you to Ontario?
Immigrated from Guyana, South America
10. What was your first job?
Customs Officer in Guyana
11. What challenges have you had to overcome in your career?
Two – as an immigrant in the 90’s, opportunities were scarce, it required more effort and tenacity, so my philosophy is to not allow anyone to “out-work” me. So far, it’s been a crazy amazing ride! The other is the onslaught of technological change – you either embrace it or it’ll swallow you whole! I love it however, and can’t wait to see what the next decade brings!
12. What are some of your hobbies or how do you spend your free time?
I enjoy golfing, scuba diving, travelling or reading a good self-help or astronomy book! Our insignificance in the universe never fails to amaze me.
13. What is something quirky about you?
Sometimes talking to myself out loud if studying and deep in thought! Lol
14. What was your most prized toy as a child, and why?
Two actually, and dating myself – a Spin Top and a Yo-Yo, I was good at both and it took some degree of talent to do well I guess! lol
15. If you could have a t-shirt printed with a message, what would it be?
We are the cosmos made conscious. (And if it could include a picture, it’d be the cosmic microwave background. It’s one of the most profound image in astronomy!)
